Stoichkov also called for harsh punishment for the national team, adding:

“That fans are not allowed in the stadium, or even heavier punishments, like in England a few years ago.”

On the other end, the Bulgarian manager, Balakov, went back on his denial of the chants. Instead, he sent an apology to all English players, saying:

“I would like to say very clearly: since there were cases of racial discrimination in Sofia, I would like to sincerely apologise to the English footballers and to all those who felt offended,” he said.

Hopefully, this prompts action from UEFA to deal with racial abuse more seriously in the future.

It’s obvious that they aren’t doing enough, and for the sake of football and humanity, it has to change immediately.